A newly admitted client with schizophrenia approaches the unit nurse and says "The voices are

Question

bothering me. They are yelling and telling me I am bad. I have got to get away from them.". The
most helpful reply for the nurse to make would be

a. "Do you hear the voices often?"
b. "Do you have a plan for getting away from the voices?"
c. "I'll stay with you. Focus on what we are talking about, not the voices. "
d. "Forget the voices and ask some other clients to play cards with you.".

Answer 1

C
Staying with a distraught client who is hearing voices serves several purposes: ongoing observation,
the opportunity to provide reality orientation, a means of helping dismiss the voices, the opportunity
of forestalling an action that would result in self-injury, and general support to reduce anxiety.
Option A is not particularly relevant at this point. Option B is relevant for assessment purposes but
is less helpful than option C. Option D shifts responsibility for intervention from the nurse to the
client and other clients.